How to Energize `Deadbeat Parents'

Article excerpt

UNFORTUNATELY, deadbeat parents need strong compulsion before
they will fulfill their financial obligations to their children.

Legislation I introduced that became law in January 1993, has
made a good start in reducing the number of noncustodial parents
who refuse to pay their child support but have no problem incurring
debt to buy cars, trucks, snowmobiles, and even second homes.

The bill, the "Child Support Enforcement Act of 1992,"
requires credit agencies to include on credit reports child support
delinquencies of more than $1,000 (in states which provide them
that information).

This legislation offers a practical and effective means to begin
reclaiming the $27 billion in child support payments that go unpaid
each year. More than 5.7 million noncustodial parents make no
payment on their child support obligations. The result is
inadequate care for millions of children and increased welfare
expenses for the rest of us.

The theory behind my bill was that it would be most effective to
concentrate on those parents who actually have financial resources,
rather than wasting taxpayers' dollars for fruitless statewide
searches. This might not lead to the collection of every delinquent
penny, but it was a good place to start.

The results have proved my theory correct. A recent report by
the Associated Credit Bureau Inc. indicated the number of
delinquent parents on credit reports has increased from 1.5 million
to 2 million. This means one-half million more parents will have to
be responsible for their children's care before they can consider
buying a new boat, car, or house.

For example, in July a man from Twin Falls, Idaho, requested a
loan from a finance agency to purchase a house. When the agency
checked his credit, a problem was discovered - he had been making
sporadic child support payments and still owed $4,700. Three days
later, the man paid the entire $4,700 to clear his report.

In another instance this year, an Idaho farmer attempted to
secure an operating loan from a bank to buy seed and other
materials. …